


Yule Shoot Your Eye Out

by Wolfs_Got_Jokes



Series: We're going back where we belong [4]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Christmas, Fluff, Implied Underage, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-08
Updated: 2012-12-31
Packaged: 2017-11-20 15:48:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/587038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfs_Got_Jokes/pseuds/Wolfs_Got_Jokes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Various snippets of the pack preparing and celebrating Christmas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, this happened. I just can't help it, I love Christmas. This had to be done.

It’s Stiles who brings it up one evening when they are all gathered in the living room of the Hale house. He sits up straighter from where he’s sitting between Derek’s spread legs on the couch and clears his throat.

The rest of them who are mostly occupying the floor look up at him.

“So, uhm guys. Lydia and I have been talking”, there are some sharp intakes of breath there, because Lydia and Stiles are always the ones who discuss uncomfortable topics and then talk to them about it, “Just listen okay? It’s almost December and we were wondering if you would be interested in celebrating Christmas together? The day after Christmas Eve maybe? So we can still celebrate with our parents? We are aware that for some of you it might be…painful and not really something you want, so we thought we should discuss it.”

What follows is silence at first, Stiles shifts closer to Derek and takes his hand into his, while Lydia wraps her arms around Isaac, who’s in her lap. Scott and Boyd both tighten their grip on Allison.

It’s Isaac who speaks first:”I didn’t actually celebrate Christmas for years, since…since my mom and my brother died. My father didn’t even acknowledge that it was Christmas for years. And last year, with the alpha pack, we were all so busy not dying that the question didn’t come up, but…we are family right? I…I love you all more than I can say, and Christmas is about spending time with the people you love right? So, I’m all for it, if everyone else wants to of course.” Isaac falls silent and Lydia takes the time to lean down to him and place a small kiss on his lips. “Good, everyone else? Stiles and I already decided that we really like the idea.”

“Me too, like Isaac said it’s about celebrating with the people you love, so we should do that,” Scott agrees.

Erica is the next on to speak up, “I’d like it. Christmas was never really celebrated with my parents, it was mostly an excuse to get drunk for them and to complain about how much less money they had to buy presents because of my hospital bills, so…” Jackson winces beside her and cuddles even closer to her than he already was.

“I think it would be fun, definitely a nice holiday from my whole family coming over. You guys are a lot easier to handle,” Allison smiles at that comment from Boyd and noddes along, “Uhm yeah, I think I’ll definitely celebrate with my father, but that will probably not be that cheerful, so actually I think we should do it. After all, you can’t just ignore the fact that it’s Christmas anyway, better be reminded in a way that makes you happy by being with people you love, I guess. I like the idea.”

“If you’re all up for it we can do it, it’s not my favourite holiday, but whatever,” Jackson says.

The room falls silent once again, everyone waiting for Derek to say something.

“I’d like to celebrate Christmas with all of you”, he says, which has Stiles turning around to face him. “Are you sure, you don’t have to agree, just because we all said we’d like it.”

Derek sighs, “I know that Stiles, I’m agreeing because I want to. Of course if it makes all of you happy there is a higher chance that I like ideas, but I like the thought of spending Christmas with all of you. Honestly.”

 “Really? 100% sure, everyone?” Stiles asks again, but the others just grin up at him and nod along, “Alright, then I guess we should start discussing how we want to do this, any suggestions.”

After that it is a whole lot of everyone screaming ideas and demands around. Derek is watching them silently, while Lydia writes as many things down as she can catch this quickly. Scott wants mistletoes everywhere, Boyd and Erica are arguing over whether or not everyone should be forced to wear Christmas hats, Stiles and Allison are exchanging different recipes for cookies and talk about what they should make for dinner, Isaac is mostly trying to convince Jackson that he is not allowed to buy everyone stupidly expensive gifts.

After about ten minutes of various discussions and Lydia getting caught between Erica and Boyd when she throws herself at him, she decides to put an end to it:”Okay, everyone. Be quiet. Let’s have a real discussion like the grown up people you claim to be. Everyone listen. What I got from this is that Erica and Scott are not allowed to make decisions”, there is a sound of protest coming from both of them, “that Stiles and Allison will be in charge of making dinner and everyone will listen to them and that we should decide if we allow everyone to spend as much money on gifts as they want or not.”

Everyone settles into a more quiet discussion after that. It is decided that everyone is allowed to buy gifts for whoever they want, but they set a limit on how much money they are allowed to spend. The way Jackson smirks makes it clear that he has no intention on actually following through with it. Isaac and Lydia are in charge of making sure the house is decorated and Allison and Stiles already decided that Boyd and Scott will have to do the grocery shopping for the evening, Lydia let’s herself be talked into allowing a few mistletoes around the house. They decide on just spending a quiet evening together, just food and presents and Christmas movies, but if they are being honest, they all look forward to it.

*

Derek starts doubting the whole thing when on the first of December the whole pack comes over in the evening, everyone with boxes of Christmas decorations.

“We basically looked what wasn’t needed at our homes anymore and brought that over”, Stiles tells him, upon entering the house with a huge box in his hands. The rest follows him, Lydia already in the living room looking through the box Jackson brought and giving instructions. Derek stands in the door way and watches with quiet amazement.

Isaac and Allison are chasing Scott around the room trying to put a ridiculous reindeer antlers hat on his head, Lydia, Erica and Jackson are deciding on a colour scheme and sort out everything that doesn’t fit with it and Boyd and Stiles are mostly busy laughing about the way Scott screams like he’s about to be murdered.

That is until Lydia starts shouting out instructions with Jackson repeating them so that they can be sure everyone listens. Everyone slowly trails out after that, taking the stuff they are supposed to put around the house.

Lydia stays at the room, looking at Derek who’s still in the doorway,”You’ll put up the Christmas lights outside, I’m scared the other’s will fall off the roof.”

“Sure, whatever you want, it can’t be that hard,” Derek tells her, picking up the box Lydia points at.

“Wait a moment, I have another question. You can say always say no, okay?” Derek frowns at her but let’s her continue, “Is it okay if we put around candles, they belong to Christmas, but we don’t have to, if it makes you uncomfortable.”

Derek sighs and puts the box down he just picked up. He’s glad the pack works like this, that they talk about things that might become an issue. It’s the best proof to him how much they all want this to work and how much they’ve all grown up. Sometimes though he wishes they wouldn’t do it, because explaining himself forces him to remember things.

“My mom and Laura, they loved Christmas. Every year they would go crazy as soon as Christmas season started, they especially loved candle light,” Derek stops for a moment, remember Laura’s face shining bright in the candle light, she had looked beautiful, “It’s alright, I’d like it to be honest.”

Lydia gives him a small smile,” It sounds nice, maybe you’d like to tell me more about it later, after we are done with all this?”

Derek noddes,” I’d like that, thank you.” He takes the box again and heads outside; not without pressing a light kiss to Lydia’s forehead.

When Derek comes back inside about an hour later he’s stunned. Somehow he thought that they would just throw random Christmas decoration around the house, to welcome the season. He should have known better, but he’s still speechless. Everything is green, red and gold. There are candles everywhere, mistletoes hanging around every doorway he can see, little reindeer and snowman statues everywhere, lots of greens and stars hanging around. Stiles, Scott and Allison are baking cookies in the kitchen, while the rest is gathered around the living room, there is Christmas music coming from somewhere.

Derek decides to join them, Lydia and Isaac are curled up on the loveseat, while Boyd and Erica sit on the couch with Jackson sprawled all over the both of them.

“Hey”, Isaac greets him,” You like what we did to the house?”

“It’s a little much, but it looks nice”, Derek tells him, before he settles on the floor in front of Lydia and Isaac, his head resting against Isaac’s thigh.

They don’t do much that evening, Jackson is already asleep in Boyd’s lap and the rest of them are talking in quiet voices. Eventually the other three join them with many plates of cookies that are gone within a few minutes.

Scott, Allison and Stiles are also the first ones who head to bed, giggling, apparently having made plans that need to be explored as soon as possible.

Boyd, Erica and Isaac decide to go to bed a little while later, Boyd carrying the sleeping Jackson upstairs with them.

Lydia and Derek just sit there in silence a little while longer, her tracing her fingers through his hair. Eventually she speaks up,” Do you want to come up here? Sitting on the floor can’t be too comfortable.”

Derek gets up and Lydia makes space for him, letting him set down first and settling between his legs.

“You still want to tell me about your family, or rather not?” she asks quietly. In response Derek tightens his arms around her waist.

“It was always great, many excited people around. My mother and Peter were always in charge of the food and they started preparing a week before Christmas because there were so many people to feed. My little siblings and cousins...they were always so excited, I had to tell them all about Santa Claus nearly every day, they could barely wait. Their highlight was the snow, we always went outside and I played with them until they were exhausted, afterwards we sat in the kitchen, drinking hot chocolate and Laura and I would tell them every Christmas story we knew. It used to be the best time of the year. My Dad he always bought the best presents for everyone, he was so proud when everyone was happy. Laura always bought me always really embarrassing presents, like stuffed animals or ridiculous clothes.”

“It sounds nice, how family should be. Thank you for telling me.”

“Thank you for listening”, Derek replies, “These memories used to hurt so bad. They still do, I miss them all every day, but...it feels right to have a pack again. I’m looking forward to Christmas, for the first time in years.”

Lydia doesn’t answer to that, but she scoots closer towards him and let’s him bury his face in her neck. They aren’t as affectionate with each other as they are with some of the others, but they need each other. It’s not like the others aren’t perfect the way they are, but Lydia always knows what to say, her intelligence making her more grown-up like the rest sometimes. She can be immature if she wants to but that’s not who she is. Derek finds it easy to open up to her, because she’s just there, listening but never judging.

The house smells like Christmas, cookies and candles and he can hear the steady heartbeats of the rest of the pack in the bedrooms upstairs, happy and safe. Lydia looks beautiful in his arms and it feels like family, like safety and love. The last thought Derek has before he falls asleep is that he’s looking forward to the next month, that it might be difficult sometimes for some of them, but that they will manage. He’s glad they decided to do this. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the feelings, this might be horribly OOC. I'm sorry.

Erica never liked Christmas, not at all. Her family doesn’t really celebrate. Her parents get drunk and complain on Christmas Eve and she locks herself in her room around 9 pm because she can’t stand it anymore.

She can’t recall one happy Christmas memory, not a single one. She knows that most people would give her pitying looks if she told them this, but if she’s completely honest she has to admit that she barely cares. There are worse things. She never got the appeal of Christmas anyway. Although that might be because she never had a nice one. It’s hard to tell.

What she can tell though, is that this December was a lot better than any before. Most of the pack has really specific wishes for Christmas. They try to make all of them happen at once. Scott insisted on mistletoes, many, many mistletoes. So many that you’re somehow always kissing someone. Allison, Stiles and Isaac are baking cookies non-stop. They could probably feed a small army by now. Well if Jackson and Boyd weren’t eating most of it. Lydia had demanded that they all go Christmas shopping together. It was fun although finding presents for everyone was hard. She’s hoping everyone will be happy with theirs.

Right now she’s sitting in their living room at home, her parents already half drunk. Her mother’s talking about what a blessing it is that they don’t have to pay the hospital bills anymore, that they finally have money to buy things they really need. (It’s all alcohol). Her father then goes on about the fact that she dresses like a hooker and that her grades could be better and they he’s not sure that she’ll manage to graduate. She feels sick. She’s used to it, but it still hurts.

“You know what,” she says, getting up from her seat, “I’ve listened to this long enough. It’s Christmas and I’ll spend it with people who actually care about me. Don’t wait for me, I won’t come home tonight. Not that you’ll notice.”

She grabs her winter coat, which she doesn’t actually need, and slams the front door shut behind her. No one tries to stop her, she’s not surprised.

For a minute she considers asking Derek to pick her up, but eventually decides against it. The house is not so far away and the fresh air feels good. Soon she breaks into a run.

She already feels a thousand times better when she’s standing in front of the Hale house. The sound of the TV the only thing she can pick up at the moment.

She heads inside to find Derek and Isaac curled up on the couch, Isaac resting his head against Derek’s chest, sitting between his spread legs.

There’s a Christmas tree in one corner. It’s decorated with various little ornaments. Reindeers, stars, little wolves that Stiles had bought because he thought it would be funny, it looks nice and they definitely had tons of fun decorating it yesterday. Although Jackson had nearly shoved Scott in the tree. Boyd had saved the day by catching him.

The lights on the tree, a few lit candles and the TV are the only light sources right now. It looks nice.

She’s the first one to speak up, “Merry Christmas, I guess.”

“Are you alright?” Derek asks her, concern obvious in the way his eyebrows are pressed together.

“I...yeah, it’s nothing. I just wanted to get out of there,” she sounds chocked up, like she might start crying any second now and she hates herself for it.

“Come here,” Isaac tells her, extending his hand in her direction. She shrugs of her coat and takes his hand. Let’s herself be pulled on top of Isaac.

“You wanna talk about it?” he asks.

“Not really, it’s just...the usual stuff. I decided that I’d rather be with you two tonight,” she tells them and wraps her arms around Isaac, “What are you watching?”

“Home Alone. Derek hates it,” Isaac mutters, giving her a small smile.

Derek grunts, “It’s stupid.”

“Hmmm,” Erica takes a look at the TV, “Alright.”

They sit in silence, watching the movie with Erica and Isaac laughing occasionally.

She’s where she wants to be, but she can’t relax. Frustration and disappointment making her feel restless. Derek is stroking her hair and Isaac is drawing small circles on her back, but it’s not enough right now. She needs them closer right now, much closer. She’s hyperaware of Isaac’s thigh between her legs. At any other time she would have dragged them upstairs to get rid of the tension but right now probably isn’t the right time.

Derek and Isaac seem to be relaxed but she can’t even imagine how it must feel to know that everyone is celebrating with their family right now while they have no one left. She feels guilty for needing comfort right now, when they are the ones that have every right to be hurt.

The movie ends and Derek turns of the TV, no one saying a word.

Erica feels one the verge of panicking, not sure what to do. She’s not good with these kind of feelings. She feels like she should be able to read both of them better, should know whether they are upset or not, but she can’t and she doesn’t know what to say.

It’s Isaac, who speaks first, “Erica, come on. Talk to us, you’re obviously unhappy right now. Please? Whatever it is, it’s okay.”

Erica just shakes her head, buries her face against Isaac’s chest. She knows she’s being stubborn but she doesn’t know how to talk about it right now. She feels Derek’s hand squeezing her neck reassuringly and before she knows what’s happening there are tears streaming down her face.

 “I just,” she starts between sobs, “I feel so disappointed and I don’t even know why. I’m used to them treating me like shit. Just...the last month was so nice, with the pack and I was actually looking forward to celebrating Christmas with all of you and...I just, I thought maybe they would change, too? I don’t know. It was stupid. And that’s not even why I’m crying, I just...seeing you guys here alone, and knowing that Stiles and Allison are missing their mothers right now and that Scott’s father’s not there and that Jackson will never get to know his real parents. I guess...I just...I wish I could make you all happy. You’re supposed to be happy on Christmas right?”

She’s a crying mess by now, her face buried in Isaac’s chest. Derek’s hand on her neck has disappeared.

“Oh god, I didn’t mean to say that...I don’t _pity_ you, I just wish I could do something. I’m sorry if I said something wrong.”

For a second no one says anything, the only sound being her own quick breathing.

Then someone shifts on the couch and Derek gets up, while Isaac’s arm tighten even more around her.  Derek disappears into the kitchen und they are alone.

“He hates me now, doesn’t he? I shouldn’t have come, I’m sorry. Just forget what I said, I’ll just leave okay?” She tries to get up but, Isaac doesn’t let her, instead he starts talking, “Hey, no. Come on, it’s okay. Calm down, okay? I’m glad you came, _we_ are glad you came. Never ever doubt that you aren’t welcome okay? Not even when you feel like crying all over me.”

“Okay...you’re not mad?”

“Of course not, never,” he tells her in a quiet soothing voice.

“I hurt Derek didn’t I?”

“I don’t know, but if so we’ll figure it out.”

Just in that moment Derek comes back into the living room. Angry expression on his face and a mug in his hand, “I called your parents. I told them that they should stop treating their daughter the way they do: I might have used other words. They only yelled at me. I made you tea.”

He kneels down in front of them, “Can you sit up a little?”

She nods and they shift around until Erica’s sitting between Isaac’s legs, “You really did that. Are you crazy?” Derek hands her the tea and shrugs, “You were upset.”

“Thank you, and sorry for the tears and the feelings and if what I said hurt you in any kind of way. I really didn’t mean to freak out like that.”

“Don’t worry about it. I just want you to be happy,” he doesn’t smile, but the frown on his face is gone.

“Thank you, both of you. I’m sorry if I ruined your peaceful evening,” she tells them.

“We don’t do well with peaceful anyway,” Isaac says and grins at her, “Wanna go to bed?”

“Yes, that’d be nice,” before she can even try to get up Isaac has taken the mug from her hands and Derek picks her up and carries her up the stairs and into the bedroom.

Derek sets her down on the bed, while Isaac climbs in the bed beside her. He gently puts a hand on her cheek and makes her head turn into his direction. Then he pulls her into a gentle kiss, while Derek wraps his arms around her from behind his hand tracing up and down her side.

“You’re tired?” Isaac asks and she contemplates saying “yes” but she’s really not, “No, keep kissing me, if that’s alright?”

“My pleasure,” he tells her while grinning at her.

They are careful with her tonight. Loving and gentle and really, really sweet. It’s kind of overwhelming. A few times she feels like looking away because they way Isaac looks at her, the way Derek looks at her it makes her shiver and her heart ache and she wonders what she did to deserve them.

She feels better afterwards, relaxed and tired and ready to sleep for at least 12 hours.

“Most of the others called or texted before you came by,” Isaac tells her, “Scott and Stiles were close to being thrown out of the house, because apparently they were more excited than pre-schoolers. Lydia was bored, but she said that being showered with expensive clothes is worth it. Jackson actually said it was nice, being with his parents. Boyd was busy babysitting his niece and nephew, they sounded sweet on the phone. We didn’t hear from Allison, but I guess she just wants to spend some time with her father right now. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

“Me too,” Erica answers, “I’m sure it will be nice.”

“Go to sleep, both of you. It’s late,” Derek tells them.

After some shifting around they are all comfortable and shortly fall asleep.

Erica feels safe and taken care of and she’s sure that Christmas will be awesome this year. After all she’s spending it with people she loves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm suffering from writer's block, I hope there will be more soon.
> 
> Happy New Year to everyone.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments would be appreciated, I will add more chapters in the next weeks until Christmas, you can be sure of that. I hope you liked it.


End file.
